Blue Larkspur (1926–1947) was a bay Kentucky-bred thoroughbred race horse. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957, and ranks Number 100 in The Blood-Horse's top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century. Of the 127 stakes winners bred by Colonel Edward Riley Bradley at his Idle Hour Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky – which includes Bimelech out of La Troienne – Blue Larkspur was considered the Colonel's finest horse. Background Blue Larkspur was sired by Black Servant, who was second in the 1921 Kentucky Derby, just behind his Idle Hour stablemate Behave Yourself. Black Servant was a son of Black Toney, who also sired Kentucky Derby winner Black Gold). Blue Larkspur's dam was Blossom Time, by North Star III and out of Vaila, an influential mare imported by Bradley. Bradley's Idle Hour farm was also known as the "Lucky B" because he named most of his horses with "B" names. Blue Larkspur raced in Bradley's silks (white with green hoops and cap). Bradley also won the 1926 Kentucky Derby with Bubbling Over (sire of Baby League, dam of Busher); the 1932 Derby with Burgoo King; and the 1933 Derby with Brokers Tip. But his loss in 1921 with Black Servant rankled him, even though another of his horses took home the roses. He was furious with Black Servant's jockey, Charles Thompson, who had apparently defied orders to save the horse for the stretch run; rumors flew that Bradley (and many Idle Hour employees) had a great deal of money riding on Black Servant. Racing career Blue Larkspur was trained by Herbert J. "Derby Dick" Thompson, an inductee of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. Derby Dick was not kind to horses, working them hard. Thompson won more Kentucky Derbies than any other trainer before Ben Jones. Racing as a two-year-old, Blue Larkspur started seven times. He won the Juvenile Stakes, the National Stallion Stakes, and the Saratoga Special Stakes. He was beaten in the Hopeful Stakes by Jack High (whom he had defeated three times), getting stuck in traffic and carrying high weight of 130 pounds. At the start of the Belmont Futurity, he was kicked by another horse, finished eighth and was rested for the remainder of the season. In Blue Larkspur's time, there was no Southern racing circuit to prepare for the Kentucky Derby, so he was